Use the idea of American privilege to discuss gender, race, and class, which influence social identities and life chances. Cite examples from Joshua's story to demonstrate this influence.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

American privilege (or, as the author prefers, U.S. privilege) reflects the comfort Americans have in not having to learn much about other cultures, as they are not typically perceived as having much of an impact on our own-even though our policies and trends may have great influence on those other cultures. For example, our obsession with technology has been a catalyst for the civil strife in Congo as people clash over the natural resource coltan used for components in some of these products. Americans may be less likely to understand major differences in status by gender in other cultures (even though we have our own gender gaps to confront here). While racism continues to be an issue in many ways here as well, it is driving genocide and war in other parts of the world. Our ignorance of worldwide class issues is meant to help keep us comfortable, as we might feel differently about our cell phone if we knew that the average person in the country that helps provide some of its necessary components is making only about one-ninth of the average American's income.